Kindergarten Cops

Four years ago when Anna McLinn became principal of Marvin Avenue
Elementary School, students were running wild, graffiti marred the
school from top to bottom, gang members were doing drive-bys, and crack
dealers were plying their trade across the street.

Such were the images students saw each day as they made their way
through the troubled Mid-City neighborhood to get to school. The
effects were visible. Many of the 1,100 students in the K-5 school were
exhibiting poor self-image and were acting out in class, leading to
repeated suspensions. "The youngsters were in trauma," McLinn says
simply.

She studied the records of students with multiple suspensions, many
of which began to resemble police rap sheets, and asked herself, "How
do we counteract these things?"

The answer came to her when a police officer took an interest in one
troubled student and took the girl under her wing. McLinn thought,
"Wouldn't it be nice to get youths and area police involved in a
program?"

The result is a program called Helping Our Public Education System,
or HOPES, in which students with three or more suspensions are paired
with police officers from the Wilshire division of the Los Angeles
Police Department for mentoring and tutoring.

The effort has two goals, McLinn says. The first is to curtail
suspensions that eventually could lead to failure. The second is to
build personal relationships between students and police. "I wanted
something more than, 'Hi, boys and girls. I'm a police officer,"' she
explains.

The program began in fall of 1994 with 27 youths and 27 officers. At
the same time, the Wilshire division opened a mini-station next door to
the school. The mini-stations, established under the city's
community-policing policy, allow officers to get to know residents
better.

"The vision was that there would be parenting classes and officers
who would be involved in children's lives as mentors and friends and
drop by and see how kids were doing," says Capt. Lyman Doster of the
Wilshire division.

The center is open 24 hours a day, and students and parents can drop
by anytime. It provides a place for officers to stop in and do
paperwork and reports. But it's also a place where they can work with
students and address parents' concerns about problems in the
neighborhood. A school psychologist also offers counseling once a week
at the center.

"We talk to parents about knowing how to handle bad influences and
the distraction they cause for academics," says Capt. John Mutz, the
commanding officer for the Wilshire division.

"It's important for youths at this age to have some hope as to what
the future may be, and also focus and goals," Capt. Doster says. "If
you don't, you go astray." Doster says that by meeting people in the
community who have been successful, the students see something to
strive for. "Officers talk to them, and it inspires them. Kids see that
we're human."

Although police participation is voluntary, the division encourages
officers to get involved. "Many officers live outside of the community
they police and are looking for ways to participate in the community,"
Capt. Mutz says.

This year, 31 officers are paired with 31 youths. Most officers
participate in their off-duty hours, and the mentoring is tailored to
meet the needs of each student. For some, the effort means an hour a
week; others spend an hour or more each school day helping out.
Officers tutor students in academics, help coach sports, and teach
parenting skills. They try to prevent students from following paths
that would lead them to drugs, gangs, and violence.

Detective Natalie Doster, who is Capt. Doster's daughter, has
volunteered with two students. She says that through the program she
can "help reinforce values that kids may not get at home and give some
positive attention."

Debunking Stereotypes

A popular element of HOPES is the Junior Cadet program, which
involves about 100 students this year. Cadets learn positive values and
good citizenship while gaining new respect for police officers.

Los Angeles has a long history of racial tensions between residents
and police--a situation made worse by the Rodney King beating in 1992
and the department's handling of the O.J. Simpson murder investigation.
Many of McLinn's students have had relatives or friends arrested.

McLinn started the program because she saw students lacked respect
for authority. For the police, the cadet program is a way to combat the
force's bad reputation.

"In large metropolitan police departments, we're trying to get back
to the atmosphere of the small police department," Capt. Doster says.
"The way we do that is through this program."

Officers train the cadets in character development, self-pride, and
respect and teach them about careers in law enforcement. Cadets are
responsible for reminding peers about school rules, helping supervise
on the playground and hallways during lunch and recess, and "ticketing"
students for such infractions as running in hallways, leaving equipment
on the playground, or being out of class without a pass.

It's not all dirty work, however--being a cadet does have its perks.
Cadets get to reward fellow students for good behavior and go on
special field trips. And one day a week, the cadets wear uniforms
similar to those worn by LAPD officers, including a cap and badge. The
students' families pay for the uniforms, but scholarships are available
for those who can't afford the $150.

Xochitl Mayo, a 3rd grader, says she became a cadet to help others
and to learn right from wrong. But, for her, "the best part is marching
and performing."

The faculty has noticed a difference in students. Fifth-grade
teacher June Boyd, who has taught at the school for more than 20 years,
says students in both the mentor and cadet programs behave better.
"I've seen improvement in self-esteem more than anything," Boyd
says.

The benefits seem to be spreading beyond the schoolhouse doors.

"The community has changed," says Stacy Green, the community liaison
to Mayor Richard J. Riordan. "The school is like a center--people use
this place as a resource. Ms. McLinn is exceptional, the way she has
been able to engage the Wilshire division and help with the
community-policing aspect."

The beefed-up police presence has led to a decline in criminal
activity. "There is a tremendous respect for the school," McLinn says.
"You can eat off the streets. There are no homicides and prostitution,
and there is no graffiti--not even in the summer."

Fighting Fires

The program's popularity has brought the school support from all
over. So far, 49 businesses and individuals have volunteered time and
money to the HOPES program, which doesn't receive any funding from the
Los Angeles Unified School District. Los Angeles Police Chief Willie
Williams has recognized the program, and McLinn has fielded calls from
across the nation from schools interested in replicating it.

In December, the local fire station got in on the act and started a
Firefighter Cadet program modeled on the police effort. Eighteen
firefighters now volunteer with 40 cadets, who wear junior firefighter
uniforms.

"We're investing in the future of this city, our youth, and our
community," says Capt. Kwam‚ Cooper of Station 68. "It gives us a
new challenge, and we accept it."

McLinn, herself a product of Los Angeles schools, has come to see
education as a business whose product is the student.

"You can't run a business and put out a product that doesn't work,"
McLinn says. "It's the same with kids who can't read or write. It is my
job to ensure every child is given an opportunity for success."

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